I had my eye on this the moment Essano announced the launch of their hair care products. My friend has gotten me hooked on oils, serums, masks and what not for my hair and now I'm obsessed with picking up everything that looks appealing. I already love Essano as a brand so there was no doubt that this would be a great product. I managed to grab this in the vault and I am so, so pleased that I did.
Packaging: Love! This is a plastic bottle but it doesn't feel cheap, it's quite heavy feeling and it doesn't squish or bend which makes it ideal for travelling. It also has a pump, thank you Essano! The pump on this is great too, it requires a bit of pressure to release product so if the cap came off while in your bag or something there would be no need to worry about it leaking. The pump also dispenses the perfect amount of product. Big ups to the brand on this sleek, quality bottle!
Scent: I want this fragrance as a body wash and lotion please. It smells incredible, it's something I can't pick up the notes on but it definitely has vanilla and sugar - not too sweet though, and it has a hint of something that pulls quite masculine. It's an amazing combination and it lingers for a while which is nice.
Product: This serum feels so luxurious. I only have a couple of other oils/serums to compare it to but out of all my current options, this is my favourite. It's so silky smooth, light weight, non-greasy or slippery and it absorbs quickly. The serum is clear and has a very low viscosity, though it is not as runny as water. The silicones in the formula really add to the cosmetic elegance of this product, the way it applies makes it seem like it is worth much more than the $16 price tag.
My hair has not always been in the best condition, from the constant bleaching and colouring, the heat tools used and the lack of regular trimming, it has taken a beating and it's only been the last 6 months that I've started to care for it. Because I do bleach my hair, I often suffer from dry, split ends, this serum definitely helps to hydrate and, soften and smooth the hair. I also have very thin and oily hair, I can typically only go 2 days without washing it and this product doesn't make my hair look or feel oily at all. I always apply this to damp, towel dried hair and then let it air dry or blow dry it. Sometimes, if my hair is feeling extra dry or tangled, I will apply a pump of the serum to the ends.
Overall: I really love this hair product. It's affordable, it has great quality packaging, the formula feels high end, it smells incredible and it actually works. I would say all hair types would benefit from using this but people with damaged hair will love it the most.
I wasn't planning on trying to get this in the vault, but then I remembered that I'm hair obsessed and I needed it. Had to have it. Couldn't live without it. Fast forward to Friday and it arrived nicely packaged with the rest of my vault goodies.
The bottle is quite nice, not cheaply made but not too expensive. For $16 I'm happy with the amount I get in a bottle. It has a pump which disperses a 20c amount of clear oil onto your hand, which goes quite a long way.
The smell is divine, I love it. I know what Essano's rosehip smells like and I hate that - so I was pleasantly surprised when I found that this smelled amazing. I apply it to damp hair mostly, and it dries nicely and doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy. Applied to dry hair (the tips get the most, the rest is used for fly aways) it is still awesome, and again, doesn't make my hair oily or weigh it down.
I'm not sure if it's been protecting my hair, or repairing it, but I don't have any split ends, even after a mostly full head of bleaching. I'm really impressed, and I'd gladly repurchase!